The victim, whose name has not been released, was hooked up to a dialysis machine at home about 12:30 a.m. Monday when he heard someone breaking into his home in the 7000 block of Bishop Road in McCalla.

The man was in his bed when he saw a figure in the darkened hallway. He yelled out to his wife, said sheriff's Chief Deputy Randy Christian. The assailant then opened fire, striking the victim in the shoulder.

Deputies who responded to the scene were met by the wife, who told them that her husband had been shot. Lawmen found a broken window and saw that a door had been forced open.

Parts of the house were in disarray, and the victim's car had been burglarized. The victim's wife said she had been asleep without her hearing aids and hadn't heard anything.

The victim remains in UAB Hospital, but is expected survive. Christian said he believes more than one suspect was involved.

"Criminals that target our senior citizens or children always get the full flex of law enforcement," Christian said today. "Rest assured this has our full attention and our deputies take it very personal. That isn't good for the sorry thugs that did this."

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's office at 325-1450 or Crimestoppers at 254-7777.  

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